FACT FILES
Climbing
Everest
Reporter: Why climb Everest?
George Mallory: Because it’s there!!
In 1852, it was decided that Mount
Everest, in the Himalayas, was the
world’s highest mountain. And ever
since then, men and women have
wanted to climb it! Many try, a few are
successful and some lose their lives …
Mallory and Irvine
British climbers George
Mallory and Andrew
Irvine tried to reach the top of Everest in
1924. They had already tried twice. Sadly,
they disappeared. Nobody knows if they
ever reached the summit.
Hillary and Tenzing
In 1953, New Zealander
Edmund Hillary and
Sherpa Norgay Tenzing became
the first people to reach the
top of Everest. They had simple
equipment and no ropes. When they
reached the summit, Tenzing put sweets in
the snow for the gods. They stayed there
for only 15 minutes before going back
down. Hillary and Tenzing became famous
all over the world.
Many climbers and Sherpas have died here
– killed by falling ice.
After Camp IV (7900 m), climbers enter the
‘Death Zone’. They can’t stay here for more
than two to three days because of the
altitude. If the weather isn’t good enough
to continue, they have to go back down to
Base Camp.
It takes ten to twelve hours from Camp
IV to reach the summit. Climbers usually
spend less than 30 minutes at the summit
because they need to be back at Camp IV
before dark.
Who are the Sherpas?
The Sherpa people come
from the mountains in
Nepal, high up in the
Himalayas. Many Sherpas
helped the first climbers
who came to Everest.
They carried equipment
and worked as mountain
guides. Today, the word ‘sherpa’ is used for
any guide or helper in the Himalayas.
EVEREST FACTS
The way to the top
Everest is over 8000 m high. There are
five camps, including ‘Base Camp’, before
reaching the summit.
● About 1500 people have
reached the summit
● Junko Tabei from Japan
Base Camp is at 5000 m. Climbers usually
spend two weeks here to adjust to the
altitude. During that time, Sherpas set
up ropes in the dangerous icefall above.
Tenzing at the summit
What do these words mean? You can use a dictionary.
gods base adjust altitude icefall zone
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was the first woman to
reach the summit in 1975
● Over 200 people have
died on Mount Everest since
1922
Why do you think people want to
climb mountains like Everest?
Would you like to try it?
● Everest is growing by
4-10 cms every year
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